Meyers Area Plan could be adopted at upcoming meetings

Meyers, the commercial, public services, and recreation hub of unincorporated El Dorado County at the South Shore may soon have a new area plan.

The Meyers Area Plan is the comprehensive long-term plan for the Meyers Community and, if approved, will replace the original Meyers Community Plan (MCP) adopted in 1993. The MCP currently serves as the comprehensive land use and zoning plan for the community of Meyers, consistent with the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan and the El Dorado County General Plan. It was originally meant to last a decade, not the almost 25 years its been in place.

In 2012, the first community visioning workshop and stakeholder interviews were held and the Meyers Advisory Council (MAC) was selected. They held meetings and worked closely with El Dorado County, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the public to update the existing Meyers Community Plan and convert it into the Meyers Area Plan.

The proposed Meyers Area Plan (MAP) builds upon the MCP and maintains many of the same vision, policies and priorities. If adopted by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, will replace the original plan.

The MAP consolidates three existing Commercial and Community Services Zoning Districts along US 50 into one zoning district called “Meyers Community Center” to allow the mixing of land uses consistent with a bicycle and pedestrian friendly Town Center and the Regional Plan. The plan refines land uses and zoning, and permissible uses to resolve inconsistencies between TRPA and El Dorado County’s provisions and to reflect community input on desirable future uses. In addition, the plan maintains the maximum building height established in the existing
Community Plan at 42 feet for the mixed-use Town Center rather than allowing the 56 feet possible under the Regional Plan and retains the existing building height regulations in other plan areas. In addition, the plan waives El Dorado County development fees for eligible small businesses and projects providing certain environmental and transportation improvements and community amenities.

Several transportation measures are proposed in the plan. The plan encourages a series of capital improvements to improve bicycle and pedestrian access, safety, and traffic flow; and “park-once” and transit infrastructure. The plan revises design standards and guidelines to promote pedestrian improvements such as better access to existing class 1 multi-use trails, pedestrian kiosks, benches, and other streetscape features. The plan updates sign standards and adds new required design standards and guidelines promoting streetscape improvements and sustainable design.

The plan includes several new environmental protections. The plan authorizes the addition of an area-wide water quality treatment project, revises excess land coverage mitigation requirements to require that at least 5% of land coverage mitigation occurs through onsite removal, and proposes 485 acres of land for Conservation and Recreation Zoning designations (72% of the total plan area) to protect sensitive areas such as Tahoe Paradise Park, Lake Baron, and the Upper Truckee River corridor.

Lastly, this plan formalizes a locally-convened citizen advisory council referred to as the Meyers Advisory Council to serve as an advisory board to El Dorado County with responsibility for design review recommendations and suggestions related to plan maintenance or revisions.

The El Dorado County Planning Commission will consider the Meyers Area Plan at their November 9, 2017 meeting. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and will be in Building C at 2850 Fairlane Ct., Placerville, CA 95667. They will make recommendations on the plan to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (BOS).

The BOS will then consider the Meyers Area Plan at their December 12, 2017 meeting. The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. and will be in Building A at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667.